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Nimmur
Nimmurians are Sohktar who usurped the land from its previous occupants, the Enduk a race of winged minotaurs. The current Nimmurians are vicious, ruthless, conniving creatures filled with hatred. Pity and remorse are unknown to them. They crave the sun, but at the same time fear it. Society Nimmurians cover their bodies with thick make-up to protect themselves from the lethal effect of the sun, the result of an old Immortal's curse. The make-up ranges from brown for the lower castes, to red for warriors, and gold with embellishments for the nobility. Clerics usually cover their entire bodies with silver runes over black make-up, without which they couldn't cast spells under the sun. When outside, all sohktar wear masks featuring monstrous grimaces. Trade The Nimmurians export spices, some food (figs, dates, nuts), salt, sheep, wool, carpets, tapestries, expensive resins, rare woods, fine oils, perfume, and dyes. They import foodstuffs (beef, rice, grain), wines, obsidian, silk, leather, iron, foreign armour (upper body only), and weapons. Today, foreigners may come and go in Nimmur, though the vicinity of the ziggurats and palaces remain strictly off-limits to outsiders, under penalty of death. Visitors are otherwise generally safe elsewhere, if they don't travel alone. Behind these appearances of neutrality, the Nimmurians conceal their curse and their burgeoning knowledge of the star device in Er, as well as a vast underground kingdom beneath Nimmur. Ever since the sohktar assumed the ancient Nimmurian cultural identity, they dropped their old tribal structure, and put in place a new dynasty of kings. Today, King Anupalassar II rules over smaller sohktar provinces owing fealty to the throne of Nimmur. Provincial governors have the hereditary title of prince. The present king earned his nickname, "the Firebranded". During an ambush, an ogre ripped open the king's great helm with a battle axe, wounding him and scarring his face from the sun's rays. Nimmurian clergy believes sohktar will rule the entire land some day. Nimmur Military Nimmur maintains permanent, professional troops trained and paid according to precepts handed down by ancient Nimmurian generals. Although nobles comprise most of the upper ranks in the army, effective authority is based on actual military rank, not social status. Towns of a thousand people or more are walled. Most structures are made of dried mud bricks. Each town pays for its own army. The troops are disciplined and organized. Troops of the same types all wear the same armour and tunics within their respective armies. Conical helms with bronze masks are predominant. Nimmurians do not use mercenaries. For 100 troops, 20 ride mule-driven war-chariots (two mules, a driver, and a warrior per chariot; short bow, spear, and scale mail). 20 more use longbows, short swords, and scale mail; 20 are heavy infantry with lamellar (banded) armour and Nimmurian poleaxes; and 40 are light infantry with leather armour, large shields, spears, and short swords. The war-chariots of Er are scythe-wheeled and larger than those of other cities. 20 are long-bowmen with short swords and scale mail. Another 20 are heavy infantry with lamellar (banded) armour and Nimmurian poleaxes. The final 40 are light infantry with leather armour, large shields, spears, and short swords. Armies break down into battle pincers of 100 troops, in turn splitting into tactical stings of 20 troops. Officers, petty nobles with simple warrior rank, and priests usually ride the smaller war-chariots. Dominions of Nimmur *Asur -- Capital's population: 15,100; Army: 4 pincers; Ruler: King Dargon I "The Defender." Dargon was the previous king of Nimmur. His army slaughtered a great orcish war-horde of over 15,000 at the battle of Anusardapal, named after a hero who died there. Now a tired old warrior, he abdicated in favour of his son but retained the honorific title of king. Asur is the dynastic domain. Dargon now oversees spying activities on the Vilaverdans, hoping to capture their fortified port. *Ankesh -- Capital's population: 2,500; Army: 2 pincers; Ruler: Prince Sheneser II "Iron Sting." Ankesh regularly sees raids from Jibarú phanatons. Hills and heavy forest present a difficult environment for Nimmurian troops, especially their war-chariots. Phanatons are thought to be no more than primitive forest barbarians that present little danger to Nimmur. *Ekiddu -- Capital's population: 3,100; Army: 2 pincers; Ruler: Princess Ishmamna I "Black Heart." Ekiddu is trying to become a trading town. Unfortunately, its port is shallow and presents no contest to the Vilaverdan colonial enclave just to the south. The capital of Ekiddu is the town where most foreigners can be found. *Shubat-Nammu -- Capital's population: 1,250; Army: 1 pincer; Ruler: Prince Namrud XII "Seven Legs." Dubbed the armpit of Nimmur, this impoverished state is all but lost in the forest. Many of the manscorpions from this state join the armies of other dominions or become bandits. *Suneveh (Northern Shield) -- Capital's population: 18,200; Army: 5 pincers; Ruler: Prince Enshurnasirpal III "The Impaler." The ruler of Suneveh has recently acquired medicine that should negate the effects of killer flies on the Wind Flats. Soon, settlers will be sent to support a major northern territorial expansion north of Nimmur. *Sur -- Capital's population: 3,900; Army: 4 pincers; Ruler: Prince Nergil VII "Cotton Head." All the caravans between Herath and Nimmur stop in the capital of Sur, a rich trading town. The treasures of Sur make a tempting target for the orcs of the Dark Jungle. *Southern Shield -- Army: 5 pincers; Administrator: Lord Ishme-Hursag. This dominion belongs to the throne of Nimmur. The administrator's responsibility is to patrol the caravan trail and keep it free of marauding orcs -- a tough duty. No sane warrior wants to be transferred to this military outpost. *Low-Realm of Apsur -- Total population: 80,000 manscorpions, no outsiders; Army: 12 pincers; Ruler: Queen Tigurta I "The Taciturn." This is the underground kingdom of the old Sohktars. Its caves spread as far as the centre of the Forbidden Highlands, with tunnels and cracks connecting to the ziggurats of Er, Asur, and Suneveh, and a few other secret spots in the Forbidden Highlands. Although a subject kingdom of Nimmur, Apsur is at risk of breaking away. The queen is a High Priestess of Nin-Hurabi (see "The manscorpion pantheon" below) who resents the authority of the surface king. History The Sohktar are originally of Imaskari human stock. In -2488 MT when the Empire of Imaskari was destroyed several groups of humans fled south. They attempted to flee south to the subject states of Durpar and Gundavar on the Shining sea, but several large groups never made it. They were captured by the Yikaria. Over the years the Yikaria magically crossbred the humans with scorpions to create man-scorpions, the Sohktar. They were slaves for centuries, until they escaped the Yikaria in -1114 MT. The Sohktar fled their former homeland and moved northeast to the lands of Nimmur. The Sohktar set about taking over the lands from the native Ekudke, and by -1110 MT they ruled the land of Nimmur. Category:Locations in Southeast Faerûn Category:Monarchies Category:Sohktar civilizations